Leeds owner Massimo Cellino has told Leeds United staff to prevent Sky’s TV camera crew from entering Elland Road for Tuesday night’s match against Derby County.
The match has been scheduled to be shown live on Sky Sports 1, but Cellino has opted to refuse Sky entry as he believes the club have been on TV too frequently this season which has had an effect on home attendances.
Much to the dismay of Football League and its broadcast partner Sky Sports, who are believed to pay £100m per season in TV and parachute/’solidarity’ payments to Football League clubs.
“The League has been made aware that Sky personnel have been unable to access Elland Road as previously arranged,” the Football League said upon releasing a statement, as TV crews were turned away on Monday.
“We have contacted Leeds United to remind the club of its obligations to our broadcast partner and to ask them for their observations,” the statement added.
This is the latest episode in a long stand-off between Cellino and the Football League, with the Italian currently appealing a ban imposed for breaching the Football League’s Owners’ and Directors’ test due to a tax evasion conviction in Italy. An offence he was fined £28,000 for.
Tuesday’s match against the Rams would be the ninth time this season that both teams have been televised live – the joint-highest along with Nottingham Forest.
The Football League are working to resolve the situation in time for Sky’s 7:30pm broadcast time.
